Effect of thermal modification on the practical properties of horn beam bark flour-polypropylene composites

Current research was conducted to investigate the effect of thermal modification on practical properties of horn beam bark flour-polypropylene composites. Wood plastic composites were divided in two levels of control and thermal modification, both levels included of 4 groups in bark fillers; 10, 20, 30 and 40%. Test samples prepared with maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene as coupling agent by injection molding method. According to the results, bark flour increased water absorption, tensile and bending modulus. High proportion of bark fillers declined mechanical strength. Thermal modification significantly improved physical and mechanical properties of composite. Using lignocellulosic material flour bark hornbeam, tensile modulus and flexural modulus of composite material background had the highest improvement. In comparison between mechanical properties, impact resistance by adding flour bark had the greatest decrease. Thermal modification by increasing the crystallity, hemicellulose degradation, loss of polarity, increased compatibility between the two phases and uniform distribution of bark fillers in polymers, increased mechanical resistance.